Let's Play I'm A Spy

Posted on Sat Nov 30th, 2024 @ 6:42pm by Captain Rob Haines & Ensign Eimi Santiago & Ensign Sayla Lazar

1,614 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Things Past
Location: USS Athena
Timeline: MD1, 1100

CON'T...

To say the science labs on the Athena were small, would be an understatement. Only three people could comfortably fit into each of the ship's two labs. Given that the ship left dock without a full crew was fortunate for Ensign Lazar as she came into the labs, her tail swinging about as if it had a mind of its own.

"Hello", she called out, not wanting to start peeking around in-case there were any experiments going on.

A man looked up at the catian. He paused his hands in mid-motion, geared up with some odd-looking gloves that went past his elbows. They held a metal tube shape that had hot or extremely cold wisps flowing off of it front of themselves as he tilted his head towards the corner opposite of where they stood. "That way, if you are looking for Ensign Santiago. She's in her office" A pause as he moved his hands and the tube towards a clamp and locked it in place. "Well rather her, um the best way to describe it is a converted personal lab space."

Sayla was curious as to what the man was doing. After a moment, she nodded.

"Thanks", she replied as she turned towards the direction the man had pointed. After a few steps, she looked back, but then continued.

When she got to Eimi's office, she rang the chime. After their investigation was done, she'd have to ask Eimi for a tour. She knew what most of the items in the space were from a theoretical point of view, but she was curious as to how they truly worked.

"Doors open" Eimi called out "Except when it isn't. You will know then." The Ensign did not turn from her chair, at least for a moment. Lazar could tell she was working on something as small puffs of wispy smoke billowed up from the space before her and disapated so quickly that Lazar knew the air system worked better in this space then many others. Though it did give off a slight metal smell, it quickly dissipated as well.

Sayla's tail went back and forth as she looked about the space and saw the smoke. Her nose then scrunched up.

"I've never smelled that before", she said. "What is it?"

"Hands on, repair of a future aid." Eimi replied in a focused tone as the air continued to emit its metallic smell of small puffs. Soon she was finished and Eimi slid the soldering iron tip onto a wet sponge to clean its tip, cool it down and replaced it in its holding corral. She lifted a hand and removed her goggles off her head and placed them on the table next to what would most likely look like a pile of metal bits and pieces. The Ensign then turned on the stool where she perched to face Sayla.

"So", Sayla began with a big grin on her face. Her tail twitched more than it was. "Not sure if you saw it, but the Captain denied our request. He didn't say we couldn't go down with some supplies and then offer to help tweak their systems to help them in the future. Want to go on a supply run?"

"I saw that." Eimi with a slight nod she didn't even give a look of detached rejection on her face. Denied access to items was common place for her and as an Ensign more so. "What supplies would we need to be able to accomplish that?" Eimi asked with the same no reaction look to her face. Her voice however reflected that she was a tad excited about the whole ordeal.

"Well," the Caitian began, her tail thumping as a mischievous grin came across her face. "Some medical supplies and new isolinear chips that we can replace when we go back to 312. Of course, one might have some code on it that might copy some data accidentally and we'd have to replace that malfunctioning chip."

She tried to look innocent, but her toothy grin with sharp teeth made it hard to do that.

"So, what do you think?"

Eimi thought for a very, very long moment as the old Jeopardy theme song pinged over and over in her head and then replied. "Obviously I have both. The code however is mostly rudimentary. As I write program parameters for well..." a pause as she took in a deep breath and she continued "robots." Eimi flashed her hand at the pile of wires, small metal plates, gears on her work station. "It does however appear often as nothing more then normal computer working information and easily hidden if that is what you are implying. More then that would require someone with far better skills. Especially if it needs to be hidden."

Lazar smiled and said, "You do know that it is Operations that lets Engineering keep their reputations as miracle workers?"

Eimi put out a hand and opened a drawer, neat stacks of various types of chips, some new isolinear chips were stored, still sealed amidst the rest. "Pick your poison and let's get started."

Lazar took some and then put one particular one into the computer and started typing on the console. After about 15 minutes she chuckled and said, "Done, let's go get a shuttle."

She headed to the door with a jaunt that was almost a skip.

Eimi grabbed her beetle and tucked it into her pack that held the equipment that she had used most often out in the field on the last colony. She practically ran to keep up with Lazar.

Lazar led them to a shuttle bay where they saw shuttles getting loaded. Lazar looked at one of the crew and the man spoke up.

"Hey chief", which was meant as a compliment in the operations and engineering world. A show of respect for the person's abilities.

"Hey Anderson", Lazar said. "This is Ensign Eimi Santiago."

The human male smiled at Eimi and said, "Hi, Petty Officer Tom Anderson. Very nice to meet you."

"Like wise" replied Eimi politely "and it is just Santiago or Eimi." She understood what it was like to be the below deck crew for as long as she could remember.

"So, Anderson I see this one is just about loaded. We'll deliver as we have some isolinear chips that we need to bring to the capital control center."

"Really?", he said. "My word, we've been at it most of the day. Be my guest."

"That happens when things get all befuddled." Eimi replied as she strode towards the shuttle in a determined step. Paused and turned to look at Anderson "Is there anything else that needs to be loaded or can we head out?"

"Just two lovely ladies and some isolinear chips", Anderson replied with a grin.

"You are making my fur blush", Lazar replied with a chuckle.

The corner of Eimi's mouth twitched at that, a smile lit her eyes that time. It was hard sometimes to keep a straight face. It wasn't that Eimi did not like compliments or that they did not affect her. Quite the contrary they did indeed affect her but not in a way most would think. In her past, people had used physical appearances as an insult or to verbally berate others or herself and she simple now ignored it for the most part. It prevented physical altertions. Eimi picked up her speed a bit to make it onto the shuttle before the door closed. Eimi looked around and found a place to stash her bag. "Let the good times roll." She blurted suddenly as the song smashed into her mind along with some of guitars rift.

Lazar sat down as the shuttle took off and said playfully, "Somebody likes you."

Eimi glanced at Lazar and stated plainly "Many people like me, but most do not." She thumped hard in the seat as the shuttle moved. Her mind whirled forward onto what they had to do. "What time frame do you think it will take for us to place get the iso chips in place and set up everything to get the readings we want relayed to us?"

"A couple hours tops", Lazar replied as they flew towards the surface. We'll do the chips first and then drop off the supplies. That will give them time to do their magic. And no, silly. He doesn't just like you. He likes, likes you. He finds you attractive."

Eimi shook her head slightly but lowered her voice slightly "As I already said some people like me and most do not. The assumption would be that he gives off some sort of pheromones that you can smell?" Eimi had an idea how Lazar knew this information but honestly she did not really care if Anderson found her attractive or not. Eimi appreciated men in many forms and her time spent with then but didn't know if she wanted an interest of any sort at this time in her life. She had made Chief and it was a lot of responsibility and she didn't want to mess it up. Somehow she had the feeling that she would, in one form or another. It was just a matter of time.

"Indeed", Lazar said. "His pheromones were very active. He works in my department, do you want me to find out more? See if it was more than just a normal male reaction when they see a pretty face?"

She hummed as she tapped a few buttons on her console.


===
a joint post by:

Ensign Eimi Santiago
Chief Science Officer
USS Athena

&

Ensign Sayla Lazar
Asst. Chief Operations Officer (NPC'ed by Captain Haines)
USS Athena

 

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